Wedding Blues
by kickingbutt
Summary: Now entering her mid-twenties, Nanako is marrying the man of her dreams. With the stress of the upcoming wedding, the day Rinko's hair turns white looms ever nearer. Feeling alone, Ryoma turns to the one person who could never hurt him - much. RyoSaku.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **Hi-hi everyone! :) Looks like you've stumbled upon my fanfic. Just so you all know, I don't like to write in Japanese outside of my Japanese class. At all. Like not even honorifics. This is labeled as an English-language fic, so it will be written in the English language. Think of it like watching the English dub, which is how I watched a majority of the episodes, so it's what I'm used to. Enjoy...please...

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned The Prince of Tennis, but I don't.

* * *

"But I don't want to go dress shopping," deadpanned a pouting seventeen-year-old boy, trapped in the backseat of his mother's car as it sped down a Tokyo highway. His unruly dark hair stuck out in every direction. Sleep still clouded his golden brown eyes, and his gray t-shirt, thrown on in the haste of his elder brother screaming "fire" from outside his bedroom door, was inside-out.

"Ryoma," his mother scolded, glaring into the rearview mirror, "your cousin is getting married. It's an important time, and we need to be there for her." Rinko Echizen tucked a shoulder-length strand of auburn hair that had fallen out of her sensible bun behind her ear. Her expression softened as she gave the young woman next to her an assuring squeeze on the shoulder.

"Mom is right, you know" his older brother nudged him. "Besides, you don't see me complaining." The older boy grinned cheekily. His hair was just as tousled as his younger brother's, except it was done on purpose.

"Thank you, Ryoga," said his mother.

"I guess since you couldn't get into college, and you have no job, kissing up is the only way to get mom and dad to let you stay in the house," Ryoma grumbled.

"Hey, I do have a job!"

"Ryoma!" his mother cried.

"It's okay Auntie," the raven-haired young woman in the front passenger seat cut them off in between giggles, "Ryoma is probably still just grumpy from being woken up so early."

"Ryoma, you're lucky Nanako is so sweet and understanding."

Ryoma almost smiled. True, he hated being woken up early. True, he _really_ didn't want to go dress shopping. Seriously, she could've just asked her girlfriends. True, he was a little pissed off that his stupid old man didn't have to come along, and his brother's forced company did not make him feel any better. However, if it was for Nanako, he didn't mind.

She was and always would be his favorite cousin.

Actually, she was his only cousin, but if he had more cousins, she would still be his favorite, and being the only one around who knew how to make good Japanese food had nothing to do with it. Much. Despite the large age gap, she had always been there for him. Rinko was a great mother, but as a lawyer, she worked day in and day out, so the quality hours spent with her sons was few and far between. Ryoga had gone abroad for secondary school, so Nanako had filled the role of a protective sibling while he'd been absent. When she was in college, and he was in middle school, she would take care of him like a friend, an older sister, and a mother all wrapped in one graceful package.

And now she was going away.

At twenty-four years old, she was marrying a man she'd met at an internship right after graduation. His name was Shigure. Or was it Shigoku? It was definitely Shiga-something. Ryoma was entering his first year of high school when she'd introduced him. He was nice enough, and now, he had a steady job. He made Nanako's eyes light up, and Ryoma supposed that was all that really mattered.

Still, he couldn't help feeling a bit nostalgic. Originally, she'd only moved in to save money on room and board while attending school. Now, he was having a bit of trouble letting her go spend the rest of her life with a man he hardly knew. He idly wondered if she honestly knew him much better.

"We're here," she chimed as the automobile pulled to a stop. Ryoga opened the backseat door to step out onto the curb and quickly slammed it before Ryoma could follow. Then he suavely opened Nanako's car door for her, wearing his most gentlemanly grin. Ryoma gave him the look as he reopened the door to exit the vehicle.

"Now, why couldn't either of you open my door," Rinko muttered as she pressed the lock button on her keys. She met them all standing in the middle of the sidewalk, staring in awe up at the white shop before them. "Come on, we'll be late," she sighed, the first brave soul to enter the bridal boutique before the others followed.

It had been a while since the last family wedding.

As they stepped inside, they were met with grandeur. The white fabrics on the dress racks seemed to glow. Everything seemed to sparkle - from the mirrors lining the walls to the crystal lights of the chandeliers. It was splendid, yet simple and elegant.

"Welcome to the King's Bridal Boutique," announced a loud voice. Oh no, Ryoma groaned. Just when he was ready to get over the fact that he'd been forced out of his warm and loving bed to do girly things like dress shopping, he was met with- "Well if it isn't the Prince of Tennis himself. Come to gaze upon my prowess?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Ryoma said softly, closing his eyes in frustration.

"Ryoma," asked his mother, "do you two know each other?"

"No, not re-"

"Of course, we do! I am the King himself, Keigo Atobe, at your service. I presume the dress is for this lovely creature," he said extending a hand out to Nanako. She placed her hand in his offered one, and he bent down to kiss it much to her surprise. Ryoma rolled his eyes. Rinko frowned. Was she really getting too old for chivalry?

"Can we get on with it?" Ryoga asked. For once, Ryoma silently thanked his brother.

"Yes," Atobe boomed. "Kabaji," he yelled to a troll in the corner Ryoma hadn't noticed before, "take her to the girls, and have this woman fitted at once!" Before she could utter a word, the troll dragged Ryoma's poor cousin away. "Now," he said, turning back to Ryoma, "_we_ have some unsettled business."

"No," Ryoma said flatly.

"But-"

"No," he said again.

"If I give you the dress for free-"

"N-"

"Just do it!" his mother yelled earnestly. Honestly, did this boy think money grew on trees? Did he think that his constant little trips to the States and back again were cheap? Did he have any idea of the cost of a tailored wedding dress?!

"Fine Monkey King," Ryoma conceded grudgingly.

"Lovely, I'll have Michael fetch you a racket. The courts are out back," he said.

"Why are you working here anyway if you're so rich?" Ryoma asked.

Keigo shrugged. "It piques my interest. Also, I've been wondering...why is your shirt inside-out?"

"Just shut up," Ryoma said, languidly following his opponent. Ryoga sulked at not being the one challenged but followed as well to watch. He was an internationally-ranked player too, damn it! Meanwhile, Rinko went off in search of her niece's fitting room.

One set later in Ryoma's favor, and the boys were back inside. They found Nanako in a sheath dress that flowed out into a floor-length skirt with lacey poet sleeves.

"Does it look alright?" she asked.

"Shigehito will absolutely love you in that," Rinko gushed. So that's what his name was, Ryoma thought.

"Yeah cuz, you look hot," Ryoga smirked.

"You look," Ryoma struggled for a moment, "good."

Nanako smiled and walked over to wrap him in a tight hug. He was taller than her now even in her heels. "Thank you, Ryoma," she said into his ear. She took him by the shoulders and stepped back to take a good look at him. "It would mean so much to Shigehito and I if you were in the ceremony."

"Hey, what about me?" Ryoga objected, left out yet again.

"You too, of course, Ryoga, come here." She embraced the both of them. The three of them hadn't all held each other since Ryoma was a baby. Finally, she let go. "So Shigehito has a younger sister around Ryoga's age, but Ryoma, do you think you could find a date?"

"Sure," he said automatically.

"Are you sure?" Ryoga taunted. "If you have trouble, I can just call one of my lady friends." Ryoma frowned. No way was he going to have to be set up with one of Ryoga's lady friends.

"It's fine, I'll bring a date," Ryoma replied through gritted teeth.

* * *

**AN:** So what did you guys think of the first chapter? Spoiler Alert: Sakuno is introduced in the next one. I'm not entirely sure how long this fic will turn out to be. I'm thinking probably as long as my other multi-chaptered fic, "I'm a Fighter, Not a Lover." This one will probably have longer chapters and less of them. There'll probably be some unintentional humor, drama, a little hurt/comfort, a crapload of family, and my feeble attmepts at romance.


	2. Chapter 2

Ryoma Echizen had a problem. One would think that someone as popular as the captain of the school's national-level tennis team would get a girlfriend or a boyfriend or a_ something_ by his senior year in high school, but Ryoma had always had the special ability to defy expectations. He'd been on a few forced dates, but never had he been in a serious relationship with anyone - except for his cat.

Still, getting a date couldn't be all that hard. He just had to pick a girl and ask. If only his fan club still existed, he wouldn't even have to ask. If only he actually knew any girls. Maybe that crazy president was still interested...

What was her name again? Tomoko Osakada? No, it was Tomoka. He should know. She'd drilled it into his head nearly every day during their second year of junior high. Ryoma silently chuckled at the memory. She had been loud and extremely persistent in pursuit of his affections back then.

But they hadn't been in the same class since. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure if she went to the same school. He gazed around the classroom, taking in the mixture of students attempting to study and others chatting animatedly.

It was free period.

His eyes landed on the familiar face of the captain of the girl's tennis team. She was overly cheerful but tolerable, and they spent enough time together in meetings that it wouldn't seem too out of the blue if he asked her out. She wasn't talking to anyone, so inviting her couldn't be too awkward. And if she said yes, she lived alone, so he couldn't get in trouble if anything happened to her. Resolutely, he approached her.

"Captain Shiraishi," he began.

She looked up from whatever book she was reading and smiled. "Ryoma, I told you that you could just call me Yukari," she said in a sugary Kansai accent as she pushed her curly brown bangs out of her face.

"Right," he replied stiffly.

"So, what is it? Is Horio giving you trouble again? If he is, I'll tell Tomoka to beat some sense into him." So the girl did go to this school. When had she and Mr. Experience happened? Ryoma inwardly shuddered. Her tastes had definitely fallen.

"No, it's not that. It's just that my cousin is getting married soon, and I need a date."

"Are you asking me?" Just what exactly did she think he was doing?

"Yeah," he said.

"Oh Ryoma, I'm sorry, but I don't think my boyfriend would like that too much," she said apologetically.

Ryoma froze. He vaguely recalled her speaking about some tennis player back in Osaka that she met with when she visited her parents over breaks. Oh right, it had been that redhead he played at the national tournament who kept calling him Koshimae. "Oh, right, sorry, forgot," he trailed off before bowing in apology.

That hadn't gone as smoothly as intended.

Perhaps, he could ask that girl who worked at the drugstore. He was pretty sure her nametag said Tohru on it. She always asked about is wellbeing with a smile whenever he handed her some cash to buy Ponta, a clear indicator of romantic interest. She even tried to make small talk. She couldn't be that far out of high school. There probably wasn't a large age difference. She was even fairly attractive. He'd be able to stomach a date. Then, he remembered the silver ring on her left hand.

No matter, he had plenty of time to find a date. He wouldn't have to sink so low as to ask his brother to set him up, or, worse, ask his dad for advice. Ryoma continued to scrutinize the mental list of females he was acquainted with as class resumed.

By the time school had let out, he had crossed off Kotoha Kitazono, who lived in Hokkaido, An Tachibana, who was currently dating Takeshi Momoshiro, Miyuki Chitose, who was still in junior high in Kyushu, and Aoi Hanamura, who kind of gave him the chills - not in a good way. Plus, she was old enough to be his mother. Technically, Momo and An were on-and-off, but Ryoma didn't really want to take his chances.

That just left the old hag. He grimaced as the dismissal bell rang. He deftly packed his school bag as he weighed his options. Walking down the aisle with Coach Ryuzaki couldn't be all that bad. She was a family friend, so it would be less weird strolling behind Nanako arm in arm with the old woman than Aoi Hanamura. If he brought her as a date, he doubted he would have to deal with teasing from his father.

He opened his shoe locker to retrieve his tennis shoes. No, it would still be weird. What was he thinking? His father would probably be too bewildered to tease him. Practice passed by mostly in a blur as he was forced to realize the brunt of his situation. It was hopeless.

Momo couldn't take him to WacDonald's to give him any suggestions since he'd gone off to college, so he moped home alone. He needed a Ponta.

He dragged himself into the nearest convenience store. How was it possible that he knew so few girls? The city had to be full of them. They made up fifty percent of the population, didn't they? There was no way he was attending the wedding with the Ryuzaki woman.

Finally, he found the cool liquid that would solve all his problems - the sweet, sparkling fusion of honey and grape with the tingling that was only heightened by the feel of aluminum on his lips. He reached into the cold of the beverages section for the last can of purple wonder. He could feel the breezy chill on his fingers. He could feel the icy metal. He could feel the soft warmth.

Actually, that soft warmth felt slightly calloused and distinctly fleshy.

There was another hand on _his_ Ponta.

He turned to glare at whoever dared to try and take his salvation only to be met with familiar redwood brown eyes.

He had seen those eyes before. He sifted through the box of memories until he found a matching profile. Images of long braids and boxed lunches and desperate attempts to hit a tennis ball assaulted him.

It was the other Ryuzaki.

"R-Ryoma?" Of course, how could he have forgotten?

"Ryuzaki," he said, his eyes as wide as if he had just seen an angel. He took the hand covering _his_ Ponta within his own.

She could be the solution to all his problems, and Ponta had led him to her.

The marvel on his face dissolved into a victorious smirk. Grasping her hand closer to him, he leaned in toward her face. His warm breath fanned out onto her rosy cheeks, and his golden eyes burned brilliantly. "Go out with me."

From behind the shop counter, Tohru Souma was startled up from the magazine she was reading as she heard a resounding slap coming from the beverages section.

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**AN: **Care to lend me your thoughts on this chapter? What did you think of Yukari Shiraishi? For those who haven't been reading/watching New Prince of Tennis, she is Kuranosuke Shiraishi's little sister. And also, Tohru Honda/Souma's mini-cameo? I tried to avoid creating any original characters, so I borrowed Tohru from Fruits Basket (which I don't own by the way). Anyway, thanks for all the sweet reviews on the first chapter. They are all greatly appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Hi everyone! Thank you all for the very sweet reviews on the last chapter :). So I know some of you were wondering about Yukari. She first appears in Pair Puri in the manga and New Prince of Tennis episode 0 in the anime. I put her in Tokyo for a school program, so she's staying by herself in an apartment with an allowance from her parents. I didn't really go into detail about her because she won't play a large part in this story. Enjoy! Please.

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"That hurt, you know," Ryoma said, holding the icy soda can to his still angry red cheek. He gave an accusatory look to the girl seated next to him on the curb outside the store.

"I'm so sorry," repeated Sakuno for at least the thousandth time, her head bowed in shame. "I really thought you were making fun of me or just trying to get the last Ponta," she explained weakly.

"Why would I be making fun of you?" he asked tonelessly. He wisely held his tongue about the Ponta.

"I don't know," she mumbled then blushed. The situation was already embarrassing enough. He didn't have to make it any worse. The fact that it was her former crush of all people was bad in itself. She didn't think he'd actually meant it when he'd asked her out. She assumed he was playing with her feelings as a joke, so she had just reacted appropriately. "How's your cheek?"

"It's fine," he replied irritably. Sakuno frowned.

"Here," she said, taking the can from his hand, "let me see." She lifted his hand to find the glowing scarlet handprint the same as she had left it, winced, and quickly pressed the can back to his cheek.

"How does it look?"

"I-I-It's getting better," she lied, her tone a few notes higher than usual. There was no use worrying him. "But maybe you should keep icing it for a while," she squeaked as Ryoma removed the can.

He raised his eyebrows questioningly at her then popped the tab. He allowed the fizzy violet juice to glide down his parched throat, and he closed his eyes in pure bliss. He gulped then let out a refreshed sigh. "It's fine," he said. "It's just a little slap. Besides, you could never hurt me that badly, Ryuzaki."

Clearly, he had not seen the damage her little high-five to his face had caused.

Nevertheless, muscles she didn't know had tensed finally relaxed at his gentle reassurance. "Sorry," she said yet again mostly out of reflex, sighing less frantically.

"I told you it's fine," he said uninterestedly, holding out the can he'd just sipped on. "Want some?"

She eyed him uncertainly for a few moments before gratefully clutching the can in her own hands and taking a tentative sip. She smiled as the cool metal touched her lips. "Thank you."

He grunted in response, seemingly paying more attention to the immense, weary, orange sphere setting behind the buildings across the street than the girl next to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that she had cut her mahogany hair a little shorter, and it was now styled in a low ponytail instead of the trademark braids she had been so attached to. When had that happened? He frowned at the fact that he hadn't noticed earlier. He wondered what else had changed about her.

"So then," she began, "why were you asking me out anyway?"

His wandering eyes quickly returned to the sunset. "Because I don't want to go out with your grandmother," he replied.

She looked at him strangely. "Um..."

"I need a date for my cousin's wedding in a month," he said bluntly.

Sakuno took a moment to process this information. If she hadn't been busy with her own thoughts, she might have noticed the fleeting sadness in Ryoma's eyes after he told her.

"Nanako is getting married? Since when?" She had met Ryoma's cousin Nanako on a few occasions - junior high tennis matches, the few times she had been to Ryoma's house for group projects in middle school, and middle school graduation. She had always been kind to Sakuno. She had an older sisterly vibe surrounding her. She always seemed mature, yet she never seemed that much older. The fact that she was getting married was...sudden. Sakuno had barely had a boyfriend, and now the girl who seemed hardly her elder was getting married - and in only a month at that. She was certain invitations for these things usually came a few more months in advance.

The fact that Ryoma was asking her to be his date was even more...sudden. She was fairly certain one was supposed to take people they actually sort of liked or at least knew to these things. Perhaps she and Ryoma had known each other a few years ago. Perhaps they could have even been called friends, but that was in junior high. Now halfway through their senior year of high school, he hardly acknowledged her in the hallways. Now he was asking her to be his date.

"Six months ago. Will you be my date?" he asked.

Nanako's fiancé had proposed six months ago, and Sakuno had no idea. Even more imperative, this was her long-awaited chance. The boy she had liked so much for so long was asking her out. Her inspiration for winning the girls' national tennis championships as captain of her team in their last year of junior high was asking her out. The one she had worked so hard to forget was asking her out.

Sakuno had stopped hopelessly wishing on every passing star for Ryoma when they had started high school. It had taken work to beat the flame of longing until it breathed no more, but she had done it. Now seeing him vulnerable, even though the date he proposed was out of convenience rather than genuine feelings, she was beginning to reconsider her efforts from the last two and a half years. "I-"

"I really need a date," he softly pleaded, honey eyes downcast. She was his only option.

For a moment, Sakuno wished she could go back in time and tell her twelve-year-old self about this moment. Her younger self would probably turn redder than a tomato and then faint from joy. _The_ Ryoma Echizen was _pleading_ with her to be his date. If she and Ryoma hit it off at their date, started going steady, got married, and had tennis-playing babies one day, she could tell their children about this moment.

But she was seventeen, not twelve.

She wasn't on the tennis team anymore.

And she would never marry Ryoma Echizen.

However, naturally her big, fat mouth disagreed. "When's the date?"

"October ninth," he replied.

"I see," Sakuno said, trying to ignore the part of her mind that would not stop listing the benefits of saying yes.

"Please," he said softly as an afterthought, and the flame surged.

"Okay, I can go," she said too eagerly for her liking. Curse her big, fat, stupid mouth.

Ryoma's shoulders visibly loosened with an exhale. "Good," he said, smirking. He stood up from their seat on the curb and extended a hand to her as the last dying rays of the sun faded behind him. "Let's go. I'll walk you home."

She took the offered help and walked alongside him as the sky turned from a wash of ginger and pink to a blend of indigos and dark cerulean. She pondered whether Ryoma still knew how to get to her house, finally concluding that he probably knew better than she did.

Maybe she should have refused his request. Then she wouldn't seem so desperate. Maybe she should have asked for something in return. Then she wouldn't seem so eager. No, she just wasn't that type.

It was only one date anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** I'm baaaack~! ;) Anyway thanks for the sweet reviews! To be honest, when I write romance, I'm such a kid. I kept blushing at the silliest things while typing out the last chapter (OMG they were watching the sunset together! And Sakuno was taking care of Ryoma! And ACK! INDIRECT PONTA KISS! And then he helped her up! That sly boy... :3) Now, back to the story! Sorry, this took so long. I was actually on vacation, and then no matter how many times I went over this chapter, I just couldn't get it quite right. Nevertheless, I still hope you enjoy.

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It was an unusually cold day for mid-September. Usually, the heat of summer just began to mellow at this time of year. The days previous had still held the warmth of August, but today Ryoma could see his hot breath linger in the air. He was forced to don sweatpants and a jersey as he headed to the street courts instead of his usual shorts and polo.

He had a tennis court at home, but he really didn't feel like dealing with his father. The chill made it too difficult.

He'd called Momoshiro instead to meet him for some light rallying, and luckily, he'd agreed. It had been awhile since they'd last played together.

When he arrived, he was greeted by a man somewhat taller than the boy he remembered. His black hair was not gelled into carefully sculpted spikes, but it hung loosely, almost to his shoulders.

"Well if it isn't the Prince of Lateness," said the young man, chuckling heartily. Two other men stood by him, both with dark red hair.

"Do I know you?" Ryoma asked, feigning oblivion and doing his best to contain his smile.

The man frowned. "Whadya mean 'Do I know you?' It's me," he said pointing to himself, "Momo!" The other men laughed, and Ryoma smirked.

"You still have a long ways to go," he chided. It was good to be back with friends.

"Nyah, that's our little one for you," said the younger-looking redhead to Momo's immediate right, trapping Ryoma in a fierce headlock.

"Y-you have a long ways to go too, Eiji," Ryoma choked out as Eiji continued to strangle him.

"Oh, I almost forgot," said Eiji, finally releasing his victim, "this is my oldest brother." He gestured to the other man.

"Yamato Kikumaru," the man said, extending his hand for Ryoma to shake.  
"Nice to meet you." Ryoma shook it. He had Eiji's dark red hair, parted down the middle. One might have confused the two if not for the fact that Yamato's face was longer, and his eyes seemed more sunken in. He was somewhat thinner as well. He lacked his younger brother's radiance, making him seem rather tired and solemn in comparison. Of course, everyone seemed solemn in comparison to Eiji Kikumaru.

"My brother and I ran into Momo here, and he told us you were coming, so I asked if he wanted to play doubles, and he agreed," Eiji beamed.

Ryoma gave his friend a look of disbelief. Honestly, after their last attempt at doubles together, what made him think they could survive a match against half of the Golden Pair of doubles plus his brother?

Momo grinned at Ryoma sheepishly, and Ryoma rolled his eyes. Typical idiot.

"Fine," Ryoma said, setting his bag down and drawing his racket. Momoshiro happily followed suit, and the game began.

The Echizen-Momoshiro pair was effectively crushed.

If someone thought that the Golden Pair had really great teamwork, then the Kikumaru brothers were like one person. After all, the Ah-Un tactic could only go so far, especially when it hadn't been practiced in ages. Their opponents' defense was just too perfect, and they could never seem to get through.

"What happened, Echizen?" Momo whined.

"Honestly, what did you expect?" Ryoma said tonelessly as he put away his red racket.

"Nyah, kiddo, your doubles play still sucks! Now you have to buy us burgers," Eiji teased as he somersaulted across the court.

"You're right," Momo nodded to Ryoma and sighed, "but I thought we'd at least take one game. Were you distracted or something?"

"I guess," Ryoma shrugged. "To WacDonald's?"

"Yes, come on big bro," Eiji exclaimed. "Burgers on Momo!"

"Wait, when did I agree to that?" Momo objected as Yamato joined them. The younger Kikumaru happily tuned out his underclassman's refusal.

"Too bad, so sad, better luck next week," he sang, and the four walked to the ancient burger joint. Mostly Momo and Eiji talked while Ryoma added occasional commentary. The older Kikumaru, for the most part, stayed silent, but he kept a jovial smile on at all times. Ryoma liked him.

Eventually, Momo did pay for everyone's fast food, and eventually he coaxed Ryoma into sharing his distractions.

"Come on, you know you sucked today," the college freshman joked. Ryoma sent a restrained glare his way.

"Nanako- my cousin is getting married," he finally admitted, his expression unchanged. Yamato looked up from his burger, and his smile momentarily faltered.

"Really?" Eiji asked.

"The hot one?" Momo questioned enthusiastically.

Ryoma's brow furrowed, and he refused to acknowledge Momo's inquiry. "Yeah, she's getting married," he replied.

"Your cousin's name wouldn't happen to be Nanako Meino, would it?" Yamato asked, setting his burger down.

"Yeah," Ryoma said surprised, "that's her. How did you know?"

"Tokyo may be the most densely populated city in the world, but it's still a pretty small world," he lamented. "Lucky guess." He got a very faraway look in his eyes, and for some reason, his expression made Ryoma think of Sakuno. He had last seen her when he'd asked her to be his date to the wedding a few days ago, but it felt like months ago. Perhaps, he ought to give her a call. He quickly shook off the thought.

"So how do you know Echizen's hot cousin? College or something?" Momo asked.

"High school," Yamato corrected, "and middle school, but I haven't seen her in a while."

"No way," Eiji practically yelled. "How come you never told me this, big bro?"

"How was I supposed to know your teammate was Nanako's younger cousin?" Yamato said defensively.

"I suppose it really is a small world," Momo sighed.

"Echizen, I'd really like to talk to your cousin sometime. Do you think you could give me her number?" Yamato asked.

Usually, when men talked about his cousin, including her fiancé, Ryoma felt a little more ready than usual to hit a tennis ball to their heads. Usually, there was a slight stirring in his chest when they asked about her, but now, he felt something else that he couldn't quite name. He felt somehow lighter. It must have been the results of their little workout finally kicking in, he decided as he wrote out Nanako's number on a napkin for the quiet man.

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**AN:** By the way, I totally made Eiji's brother up. Sort of. In the manga, when Eiji first introduces himself, he goes into this long description where he mentions that he has two older brothers and two older sisters, and he's blood type A. Eiji's crazy, but I love him. And Momo. And all the other PoT characters, but Eiji especially. Hope this chapter was alright!


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Hey, it's me again! Thanks for all the nice reviews, and it's nice to see people following! Sorry the last chapter was so short, and I think this one may be even shorter, but hey, two updates in two days has to count for something. Enjoy!

* * *

"I need you to drop off a change of clothes at work for me," came the voice on the other line.

"Can't you get dressed by yourself?" Ryoma asked, slightly annoyed. Sometimes he wondered who was truly the elder amongst the two of them.

"Please, kiddo?" the voice said earnestly. He was always asking for favors.

"I don't know. It's really late," he replied, the reluctance clear in his voice. Ryoma secretly worried the other boy would never learn his lesson.

"Aw, come on kiddo, help your big brother out," said the voice. For such a smooth talker, he was really very scatter-brained and, in Ryoma's humble opinion, stupid.

"Fine," Ryoma sighed, acquiescing at last. For some reason, he could never refuse him. They were family, no matter how much of an idiot one of them was.

"Great, they're in a bag on my bed," said Ryoga exuberantly as Ryoma entered his brother's room, phone in hand, and grabbed a gym bag off the unmade, full size bed. He put on a pair of gym shoes and headed for a part of town he generally tended to avoid.

Getting to Ryoga's workplace, if one were to call it that, entailed taking a subway, walking four blocks, and then walking through a complex network of several shady alleyways. He'd gotten lost back there more than once.

That was why he was shocked to see the Ryuzaki granddaughter, grocery bags in hand and looking very much like a deer caught in the headlights, there, standing by the backdoor of his brother's building.

She wasn't alone either.

"Hey there little bunny, want to play?"

Three men stood around her in practiced formation. Ryoma could smell liquor on them from meters away, and their clothes were disheveled. The one closest to her in the middle, with openly leering eyes, was clearly the ringleader. The man stood close enough to touch her, and Ryuzaki still remained speech-impaired. The men hadn't even noticed him nearby standing behind them.

If she got hurt, and the older Ryuzaki found out he was in the vicinity, she would have him for breakfast. If she got hurt, she wouldn't be able to go to the wedding with him. If she couldn't go to the wedding with him, Nanako would be unhappy, and the day would be ruined. If she got hurt, bad things would happen to him.

After thorough deliberation and meticulous mental computations, Ryoma concluded the best way to prevent the younger Ryuzaki from getting into trouble was simply to ignore the men and have her ignore them with him.

"Hey Sakuno," he called out, "I came to pick you up for our date."

She looked up at him from behind the small horde, and recognition sparked in her eyes. "R-Ryoma?" The men turned around and looked too. He certainly had their attention now.

"Got a boyfriend now, have we?" said the ringleader mockingly, turning back to his prey.

"Dirty little tease," chimed one of his flunkies.

Ryoma walked between the men toward Sakuno and took her by the shoulder to walk away, but one of the men caught his forearm and stopped him. For a drunkard, he had a surprisingly strong grip and even more surprisingly sharp nails.

Perhaps the ignoring wasn't his best idea of the year.

"Where are you going, little miss? It's double the fun if your little boyfriend watches," said the leader. Little? Ryoma would show him little.

He was just about to turn around and show the man the lean, mean, muscle machine all those years of tennis training had created, but someone beat him to it.

Someone in a glittering suit with tousled hair delivered a solid foot to the man's groin from behind. "Don't mess with my little brother and his girlfriend, asshole! He may never have another girlfriend again! Do you understand?!"

Any apologies or death threats were drowned out by the man's followers' frantic cries of "Sasabe" and "Boss." Ryoga ignored them.

"So you finally got a girl, huh, brat?" Ryoga asked casually, regaining his posture.

Ryoma shrugged and handed his brother the bag, ignoring the stunned girl standing beside him. "No, not really."

Sakuno Ryuzaki was in a state of shock.

She took a few moments to process her situation. First, she'd simply gone to the supermarket to buy some ingredients for dinner. Upon discovering the store lacked those particular items, she'd taken the subway to the next ward over. After buying what she needed, she'd gotten lost - like usual - only to run into a totally-not-suspicious-looking-at-the-time group of men that offered to help her to the station. Then, somehow Ryoma had showed up talking about a date. Then, his older brother had shown up, talking about being Ryoma's girlfriend, and saved them both.

She looked at the older boy. He really was an older Ryoma look-alike. She took in his sparkling suit and red corsage. He wore a silver chain made visible to the world by his half-open dress shirt. Countless more scores of thoughts ran through her head before she finally blurted, "Your brother works in a host club?!"

* * *

**AN:** Okay, I know the whole "Sakuno gets attacked by a bunch of dirty men at night" thing is totally old news, but everyone has to write this scene at some point in their RyoSaku career, so I chose now.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been more than twelve hours since Ryoma had met Sakuno in the alley behind the host club his brother worked at, and for each hour, his brother had hysterically burst into his room, paced around anxiously a few times, and just as unceremoniously walked out while Ryoma minded his own business. By the thirteenth hour however, Ryoma put his foot down.

"Ryoga," he said finally, "get a grip."

Ryoga paused in his pacing around the room and looked at Ryoma. "Did you say something, kiddo?" He was changed out of his host clothes and now wore a pair of sweats.

"I said get a grip," Ryoma repeated.

"Oh," Ryoga said, then continued his pacing. He stopped again a few moments later and looked at Ryoma in a very uncharacteristically frantic way. "'Get a grip?!' How am I supposed to 'get a grip?!'"

"You still have a long way to go," Ryoma scoffed, ever the tactful genius.

"_You_ still have a long way to go! She knows! Now she's going to tell that old hag, and the old hag's going to tell mom, and I'm going to get kicked out of the house," he yelled as restrainedly as he could, throwing his arms up in frustration. Ryoga sat on the bed next to his brother in defeat and put his head in his hands. Ryoga Echizen did not lose his grip. Ryoga Echizen did not freak out. And Ryoga Echizen most certainly did not get recognized by people he knew working at his not-so-secret workplace. The stupid kiddo just had to get in trouble, and he was forced to reveal himself.

He hadn't really registered the Ryuzaki girl standing beside his brother at first. He'd recognized her from Christmas parties, Ryoma's school events, and the like, but standing there with Ryoma's arm around her shoulder, she'd seemed so much more like an extension of his brother rather than a separate entity to be wary of. It wasn't until after she had asked about his occupation that reality sunk in.

"You know, this wouldn't have happened if you just got a job as a waiter like a normal person," Ryoma said calmly.

"Yeah, but hosting pays ten times more than WacDonald's," Ryoga sighed. Then he looked seriously into his brother's eyes. "And I'm good at it," he added.

Ryoma adjusted his position on the bed to sit cross-legged, facing his brother. "She probably won't say anything anyway. Ryuzaki's not like that."

"How do you know that?"

"Why don't you call her and ask her?" Ryoma snidely responded.

"Why don't you call? She's your girlfriend," Ryoga said.

"I told you she's not my girlfriend," Ryoma grumbled, "but if it makes you feel that much better, I'll call."

"Wait no," Ryoga said quickly as Ryoma made a move for his cell phone. "Ask her in person. People on phones can't be trusted." Ryoma gave his brother a look of disbelief.

"You're being paranoid," Ryoma stated.

"Do you want me to get kicked out of the house?"

Ryoma looked up at the ceiling as if actually contemplating. "Well, there'd probably be more hot water for the bath then."

"Just do it please."

"Fine, I'll call her to meet up," he said. Ryoma waited for Ryoga to leave the room to make his call, but the older boy showed no signs of leaving his perch on his brother's bed. Finally, Ryoma sighed in resignation and proceeded to dial the Ryuzaki residence.

"Hello?" answered a willowy voice. Ryoga inched closer to Ryoma's ear in order to eavesdrop. Ryoma glared, but made no attempt to move.

"Hey Ryuzaki, are you busy right now?"

"Oh, R-Ryoma," she said, sounding surprised. "No, not really."

"Good, can you come over r-"

He was cut off by Ryoga snatching the phone out of his hands and covering the receiver. "Ryoma?" questioned Sakuno's voice from the other end.

"What?!"

"You can't invite her over to the house! That gives her a chance to spill to mom before you even reach the door!" Ryoga hissed.

"Then what do you want me to say?" Ryoma hissed back. Ryoga shook his head in exasperation and put the phone to his ear.

"Hi Sakuno, this is Ryoma's brother Ryoga," he said, quite amiably for someone who had been hissing just a second ago.

"O-oh, hi Ryoga," she said, images of the older Echizen in the sparkling suit flitting across her mind. Soon, the older Echizen morphed into his younger brother, still wearing the same hosting clothes, and Sakuno did her best to keep from choking on air.

"So my brother was wondering if you'd be up for an ice cream date this afternoon, and being the big chicken that he is, was too shy to ask you himself," Ryoga said smoothly. Sakuno didn't respond for a few moments, unsure if she should believe what she was hearing.

Ryoma blanched.

"Oh, um, I, uh, okay!" Sakuno was glad the receiver couldn't pick up her blush and her eyes squeezed shut tight in embarrassment.

"Great! He'll walk over and pick you up now," he replied cheerfully, then hung up.

Ryoma glared at his brother coldly.

"Lesson number one, little brother: you must always make a girl feel special," Ryoga said, patting his brother on the shoulder.

"Are you sure I need to go? You don't really seem very upset anymore," Ryoma said coolly.

"Of course you do! It's a date," Ryoga beamed.

"You owe me," Ryoma said.

"What are you talking about? Consider this payback for me saving you and your little girlfriend's asses downtown," Ryoga said jovially, while pulling Ryoma off the top of the bed.

"I had everything under control."

"Sure you did," Ryoga said, pushing his brother toward the door. Then he bent down a few inches to whisper in the younger boy's ear from behind, "Show the girl a good time, and make sure she stays quiet about what she found out yesterday."

"Yeah, whatever you say, Romeo."

Ryoma pulled on a jacket, and he was gone.

* * *

**AN: **Hi everyone! I'm back~~ Thanks for the sweet reviews on the last chapter! I hope you like this one. If you get the chance, please check out my recently completed alternate reality/timeline RyoSaku two-shot, Peppermint and Paperbacks. I was listening to Australian hipster music and drinking Tazo tea when I wrote it.


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